Apparatus for doubling and twisting thread



March 7, 1944. HV KUNE 2,343,299

APPARATUS FOR DOUBLING AND TWISTING THREAD Filed Feb. 14, 1939' 2Sheets-Sheet-l r Q I15; 5 Fla. 5

HAYDEN B. KLINE I I141" I" /77 Inmentor (Ittofneg March 7, 1944. B KLlNE2,343,299

APPARATUS FQR DOUBLING AND TWISTING THREAD Filed Feb. 14, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG. 41

Elma

5 HAYDEN B. KLINE By a Gttorneg- Bnnentor 'thread'or the like. theinvention as shown in the drawings and as tion and maintenance;

sectional elevation along line ,on passing through individual threads Aare joined to form a comv lTE A E ENT, o mct" "APPARATUS FOR, DOUBLINGAND TWISTING Hayden B. Kline, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to IndustrialRayon Corpo corporation of Delaware Application February 1 The instantinvention relates to anovel type of apparatus'tor the doubling andtwisting of 'Although the apparatus of hereinafter described isparticularly concerned with the doubling and twisting of thread,-and, inone embodiment of the invention, withthe doubling, stretching andtwisting'of thread, it is obviously equally adaptable to the productionof many other threadlike articles. It is therefore intended to includein the generic term thread as hereinafter employed not only thread perse, but also such threadlike articlesas filamerits, cords, bands,tapes'and the like.

Apparatus of the type contemplated by the invention isespecially"advantageous in that it makes possible a high quality productat a low production-cost. Significant features of the apparatusare theincorporation therein of one or more unitary helix-forming devices forthe handling of thread; its simplicity of construction,

stretched between I said reels.

which greatly facilitates its operation, inspectreating the threadimmediately prior to, its-collection in package form. :'I'hese and otherad- 'vantages of the invention will appear in greater detail as thedescription .of the. inventionpro- Figure 1 is a front Figure 5 is anendelevation of the thread-advancing reel employed in the apparatusofFigures l to 4, inclusive, but on a somewhatlarger scale. Figure 6 isa sectional elevation along- -line 6-6 ofjFigure 5.

Referring first to theembodiment of the invention illustrated in Figurel, the several and the opportuntiy for elevation of .one form 4 doublingand twisting machine incorporating the adiflferent arrangement threads Aare withdrawnsimultaneously from the spoolsv 8 mountedon the spindles ,9supported by the upwardly extending spindle arms 10. ,Up-

the combining guide 12, the

posite thread bundle B which is wound upon a first thread-advancing reelI3. After being adreel (Patent No. 2,210,914).

ration, Cleveland, Ohio, a

Thread'bundle B is thereafter advanced along reel ll, dischargedtherefrom at a uniform rate, and passed through guide 15 to the ringtwister l6,'on which it is twisted and collected in package form.

The thread-advancing reels l3 and I4 may conveniently take the form ofthe reel illustrated in Figures5 and 6. The latter is'of substantiallythe same design and operates on the: same general principle as the reelshown, described and claimed in' Knebusch application Serial No.652,089, filed January 16, 1933, for Winding Such a reel-is adapted'toaccept thread-or the like at one end thereof, advance it in the formof atraveling helix made up of a number of generally helical 'turns, anddischarge the same from the opposite end thereof. From the reel of saidKnebusch application, the reel of Figures 5 and 6 differs principally inthat it is of cantilever construction, but if desired, it mayconveniently be flared from its supported-to its unsupported end toassist in stretching thread bundle B. A

The reel illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 comprises two wholly rigidmembers ,l8 and I9. Reel member l8 embodies a spider 2| which supports aplurality of longitudinally extending bar members 22. Reel member 19 hasa similar'spider member 23 which likewise, supports a plurality oflongitudinally extending bar members 24. The bar membersZZ and 24interdigitate, being disposed alternately to form the periphery of the'reel. Each individual reel'member is mounted for rotation about its ownaxis, with the axes of the two reel members disposed in parallel planesbut in inclinedv relation to each other.

Reel member 18, commonly referred to. as the concentric member, isconcentrically mounted upon-shaft 25 by means of hub portion 26. Setscrew .21 serves to'fix said member securely to the shaft 25. The secondreel member l9, known as the eccentric member, is mountedwith its axisslightly offset from and inclined with respect to the axis of shaft 25.The spider member 23 is preferably journalled upon a bearing 28 ofgenerally tubular form carried by thelrame member 29 which serves as ameans for mountin the reel. Bearing 28 is so formed as to "providemember I8 and eccentric member l9.

When shaft 25 is rotated, concentric member l8 is caused to rotate. Dueto the fact that they interdigitate as above described, concentric 2ascaaoc member l8 drives eccentric member l8 by bar-tobar contact; Theinclined relationship of reel members l8 and- IQ provides for a definitespacing, between successive turns of thread or the like, while the.oifset relation between the axes of the respective reel members permitsthe bar members of first one of the reel members and .then. the'other tosupport the thread or the like 7 dicated in Figure 2, reels l3 and I4are preferably arranged in stepped relation in such manner that-thesupported end of reel is in apposition to the unsupported end of reell3. with. such an arrangement, it is obviously desirable to operate' thereels l3 and M in such manner that the thread bundle B will be advancedfrom the supported towardthe unsupported ends thereof.

Frame members 32 at either end ,of the machine and at spacedintervalsalong the machine carry longitudinal members 33 and 34 whichsupportthe spindle arms I! upon which are mounted the spindles 8 for thewinding spools Combining guides l2 are secured to the lower longitudinalmember 34 on either side of the machine. In addition to the foregoing,frame members 32 support the longitudinal members 35 and 36 on which aremounted reels l3 and l4,-respectively. Reel I3 is indicated as supportedin the member 35 in part by frame member 28 and in part by bearing-31,while reel I4 is supported in iznember 38 entirely from the reel framemember Longitudinal shaft 38, which serves to operate the reels of theindividual series, is driven by motor 38 through a belt 48,,pulley 42,and bevel gears 43 and 44. Reel shaft 25 of the lowermost reel I4 isactuated directly by the bevel gears 45 and 46. Through a chain 41 andsprocket 48 mounted on the shaft of reel l4, sprocket 48 drives theshaft of the uppermost re'el l3. Sprocket 48 is preferably of largerdiameter than sprocket 48 so that a greater angular velocity of reel l4with respect to reel l3 results. A clutch 58 controlled by hand leveroperates to disengage the gear 48 from driving contact with the reelshaft in the event that it is desired to arrest the pingthe machine as awhole.

The ring twiste designated generally by the reference character Itcomprises a bobbin 52 sup-' ported by the whirl 53 rotatably mountedupon the fixed longitudinal frame member 54. By means of belt 55 andpulley 58, motor 38 drives the pulley 51 which serves as the drivingmeans for the endless belt 58. Belt 58 passes through the opening 591:in the vertical frame member 32 and extends down one side of themachine, passing alternately in andout between the rotatably mountedidler pulleys 68 and the whirls 53, thereby rotating all of the bobbins52 on each side of the machine in the same direction-with respect toeach other. Any conventional form of friction brake may be employed tostop the rotation of the individual whirls 53 in order to replace thebobbins or to thread up the same in the event of thread breakage.

At the end opposite the drive end. the belt 88 crosses to the other sideof the machine, where it is employed to drive the opposite bank ofbobbins: 82 in a manner similar to that previously described. Afterhaving rotated each of the bobbins. on such side oi. the machine, thebelt returns at the drive end of the machine. It passes through opening58bin the frame member 32, around anidler pulley (not shown) similar to0, pulley 31, through a second opening 821: in the frame member32,,about the idler pulleys 83 mounted upon frame member 32, throughopenin; 82a, and around drive pulley 51.

The vertical reciprocation of the ring 64 about 16 which the traveller85 moves as the thread bundle a B is wound upon the bobbins 52 isaccomplished by meansof a gear train connected to longitudinallyextending shaft 38. Gear 66 upon shaft 38, acting through reductiongears 61, 68 and 88, rotates stub shaft 18 upon which is mountedheart-shapedcam 12. By means of follower l3, cam I2 imparts the desiredreciprocatory motion to vertical shaft 74 supported from the framemember 32 by the bearing bracket 15. Transverse beam 1.8, secured bothto shaft 14 and to the lifting rails 11 carrying the rings 84 on eitherside of the machine, causes the latter tomove up and down.

The apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 may be modifled in various respects tofit therequirements of any particular case for example, any suitablenumber of threads A may be employed to form the composite bundle 2B. Inthe illustrated embodiment 'of the invention the two reels l3 and 86 I4;are adapted to operate at different peripheral speeds such thatstretching of the composite thread bundle therebetween is effected. Inthe event it is desired to eliminate the stretching operation, however.with slight alteration the reels may be operated at the same angularvelocity or a singlereel may be used. Other modifications including theuse of conventional pes of automatic control devices, to arrest theoperation of a anyunit. or units of the machine when thread breakageoccurs therein may be effected without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4,winding spools 88 are disposed with their axes extending vertically.Threads A are withdrawn axially as the spools are rotated, therebyintroducing a twist into the individual threads A. After passing throughguides 8|, threads A are combined into a composite bundle B b combiningde 02, from which the operation of any individual serieswithout stopy Mcomposite bundle B is-led to the supported end of a reel 83. Reel 83 ispreferably of the type illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Thread bundle Bis advanced along the periphery of the reel 83 0 toward the unsupportedend thereof, from which 5 of identical thread-doubling series extendinglongitudinally of the machine, each including two or more winding spools88, guides 8|, combining guide 82, reel 83, guide 84, and ring twister85.

Frame members 86 are provided at either end of the machine and at spacedintervals therealong to support the longitudinal beams 81, on whichreels 83 are mounted by means of members 29. The longitudinal shaft 88is driven from the motor 89 through pulley 90 and bevel gears 7g 82 and93. Bevelgears 84 and transmit power I from shaft 88 to reel shafts 25of the several reels 03. Clutch means 06 controlled by hand lever 91operates .to disengage gear 95 on reel shaft 25 from gear 94 onshaft-.08.. Longitudinal beams 8l-rserve-toearry the guides 8| andthecombining guides82.

, :Winding spools are. -moun ted side by. side lengthwise" of themachine; in such manner as to "be freely accessible, from the.workingface of the machines They are rotated. by means of whirls -98rotatably mounted upon longitudinally extending channelmembers 99 whichare supported from frame members 85. The,,several guides, (are securedto the channel members 99.. Whirls 98. are rotated by means .of an endless belt, I 00. which is interlaced between the idler pulleys. I02 andthe whirls 98,,as indicated inaFigurefia .-By. -means of belt I03and-pulleys "lb-motor 89- actuates-drive pulley I05 -for belt I00. X

- Belt I00, passes through the opening I06 in i the frame members 86,down one side of the tion, thereby imparting to the threads A the samedirectional twist. If it is desired to place an opposing twist in eachthread A; for example, a right-hand twist in one and a left-hand twistin the other, the belt I00 driving the whirls 98 may be caused to run atthe front of the first whirl; i. e., at the left in Figure 3, at theback of the second whirl, at the front of the third, etc. The twisterreferred to generally by the refer= ence character 85 is illustrated asof the ring twister type. It is operated in a manner substantiallyidentical with that employed in the case of the twister of the machineof Figures 1 and 2. The bobbins I09 are supported by whirls I10rotatably mounted upon the fixed longitudinal frame member H2 secured toframe members 88. Belt H3, driven by pulley Ilfl, rotates the drivepulley H5 by means of pulley H6.

Endless belt III passes through the frame opening Him, is interlacedbetween the idler pulleys H8 and the whirls IIO along one side machine,passes through frame opening IIBb, over an idler pulley (not shown),through opening I202), around idler pulleys IZI, and through frameopening I201; back to the drive pulley H5. Any conventional type offriction brake mechanism may be employed to stop the whirls H0 of thering twister mechanism or the rotating winding spools-80 of any giventhread-doubling series independently of the other units of the machinefor replacing bobbins or re-threading in the event of thread breakage.

The rings I22 about which the travelers I23 ,move are mounted upon alifting rail IZdwhich is reciprocated by means of vertical shaft I25actuated by longitudinally extendingshaft 88 upon which is mounted gearI26. The gear I26 actuates a cam I2] mounted on stub shaft I29 throughreduction gears I3I, I32 and I33. The cam follower I34 -mounted on theupper end of the shaft r25 imparts the alternating upward and downward,motion to the shaft, which is mounted in the bearing brackets I35 andI36. The transverse beam I31 secured to the reciproof the machine,returns on the other side of the eating shaft I25 is ionnected to thelifting'rails I2,4.0n either side of the machine, causing the same tomove .up and downv in a definite cycle defined bythe proportionspfcamI21.

In the, operation of thaa paratus of either emjclodimentv of, theinvention, the individual threads .are withdrawn from the, supply.spools and passed through the guide means which con bines the separatethreads into a thread bundle. The thread, bundle so formed is wrappedoneor two times about the rotating reel, after which the reel p'roceedsto thread itself up. When the thread bundle reaches the end of, thereel, the leading end thereof .is threaded through the guide immediatelyI above the a twister, passed under. the traveler, and started'upon the,twister bobbin. Conventional mechanicaloontrol means, such as tripmechanisms for automatic'ally inter.- rl pting, operation, in the' eventof, thread breakage,,may .e employed to assist in theoperation of themachine.

In apparatus of the sort contemplated by 'the instant invention it issometimes desirable to introduce means for humidifying, steaming, sizingor otherwise treating the thread. To that end, a reel of the type shown,described and claimed in Patent No. 2,145,281 for Processing reel,issued January 31, 1939, to Clarence C. Walters, may be substituted forthe reel or reels illustrated in the embodiments of the invention shownin the accompanying drawings. On such reels, the thread may be subjectedto a fluidtreatment such, for example, as treatment by steam for thepurpose of setting the twist introduced into the thread, following whichit may, if desired, be dried on a similar reel. 1

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 may, ifdesired, incorporate certain of the features characterizing theembodiment of Figures 1 and 2. Thus the apparatus of Figures 3 and 4 maybe readily modified to employ two or more reels in place of the singlereel 83. A modification of this sort would permit the application of oneor more intermediate processing treatments upon the thread prior to itscollection in package form upon the twisting device. Such processingtreatment may include such operations as stretching the thread betweenreels, subjecting the thread to one or more suitable fluid treatments,or any combination of similar operations.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for doubling and twisting thread or the like including aplurality of supply packages each of which serves as a source of threador the like, means for combining the individual threads or the like intoa thread bundle and a twisting device, the improvement in means forfeeding said thread bundle to said twisting device which comprises atleast two cantilever thread-advancing reels so disposed that each inturn accepts the thread bundle at its supported end and advances ittoward the 4 th t bundle to said twisting device which at least twohelix-forming devices of cantilever construction sodisposed-that each inturn-occepts the thread bundle at its supportedend and advances ittowardthe unsupported end 5 thereof and means for rotating each succeedingdevice at a' greaterperipherai-speed than its predecessor. r

' 3. In apparatus for doubling. stretching and twisting thread orthelilre including a plurality 10 of supply packages each 0! whichserves as a' source of thread or the like, means for combinin theindividual threads or the like into a thread bundle and a twistingdevice. the improvement in means for-feeding said thread 15 bundle tosaid twisting device which comprises at least two cantileverthread-advancing reels so disposed that each in turn accepts the threadbundle at its supported end and advances it toward the unsupported endthereof and means go for rotating each succeeding reel at a greaterperipheral speed than its predecessor.

' 4. In apparatus for doubling, stretching and twisting thread or thelike including a plurality of supply packages each of which serves as asource of thread or the like, means for combining the individual threadsor the like into a

